Togatta Utamakura Project is a community poetry project as a result of 2 weeks at Togatta Residence 044 (Maruyoshi) in July 2023.
Togatta is situated in the foothills of the Zao Mountain Ranges in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Utamakura literally means a pillow for song, and is a category of poetic words, often involving place names, that facilitate poetic allusion and encourage intertextuality between poems. A classic example of an utamakura is the Sue-no-matsuyama, two pine trees on top of a hill in Tagajo City, which have been sung by Heian poet, Fujiwara no Okikaza, Edo era poet Matsuo Basho and many other poets since.
See the project here: https://mayu.com.au/togatta/
Togatta Residence 044 (Maruyoshi) is an Artist Residency in Togatta Onsen in Miyagi Prefecture. It provides a studio place, accommodation, and support from friendly staff.